Leeds United boss David O'Leary is hopeful his side have finally turned the corner following their wretched start to 2002.

A quickfire brace from Robbie Fowler early in the first half and Harry Kewell's first goal for three months helped give Leeds victory.

The three points mean Leeds are now just five behind fourth-placed Newcastle in the race - which includes Chelsea - for Champions League football next season.

It is now two wins in the last two games for O'Leary's side, coming on the back of a 10-match winless run which had seen them slip from top spot on New Year's Day to sixth.

But Leeds now appear to be back on track, particularly after playing some delightful football in the opening 30 minutes. Fowler took his tally to 14 for the season, and 11 in 17 appearances for the club, with goals in the fifth and eighth minutes. Matt Jansen pulled one back in the 49th minute to give Blackburn a glimmer of hope, but Leeds clinched the win when Kewell struck a superb 20-yard left-foot drive 19 minutes from time.

A delighted O'Leary said: "It was a good start to a good game. Even though we were 2-0 up we could have really killed the game off completely because I felt we could have scored more in the first 15 minutes before Blackburn had even started to play.

"But, for all our domination, we made things difficult for ourselves by gifting them a goal from a stupid mistake.

"Hopefully this is the start of things turning for us, but I won't get carried away."